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Introduction

Three anthems, composed in 1946, 1951 and 1953, made up Finzi’s Op 27. God is gone up was first sung at a festal morning service on St Cecilia’s Day (22 November) in 1951 at the musicians’ church of St Sepulchre’s, Holborn Viaduct, under the direction of John Dykes Bower. As with the first of the set, the short ‘marriage anthem’ My lovely one, Finzi took his text from Edward Taylor’s Sacramental Meditations, but this time the demeanour of the anthem, march-like in its ternary form, has an ebullience worthy of Walton’s March Imperial or Vaughan Williams’s O clap your hands.

Three English composers responsible for some of the finest choral music of the last century. Finzi’s exquisite ‘Lo, the full, final sacrifice’ lies at the heart of this typically imaginative programme from James O’Donnell and his Westminster Abbey ...» More

The Choir of Westminster Abbey, under its inspirational director, James O’Donnell, continues its exploration of the repertoire of the liturgy in the Abbey with music for the Feast of the Ascension. The works recorded here represent a wide range of th ...» More

Methinks I see Heaven’s sparkling courtiers fly, In flakes of Glory down him to attend, And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody Surround his Chariot as it did ascend; Mixing their Music, making ev’ry string More to enravish as they this tune sing.

Methinks I see Heaven’s sparkling courtiers fly, In flakes of Glory down him to attend, And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody Surround his Chariot as it did ascend; Mixing their Music, making ev’ry string More to enravish as they this tune sing.

Methinks I see Heaven’s sparkling courtiers fly, In flakes of Glory down him to attend, And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody Surround his Chariot as it did ascend; Mixing their Music, making ev’ry string More to enravish as they this tune sing.

Methinks I see Heaven’s sparkling courtiers fly, In flakes of Glory down him to attend, And hear Heart-cramping notes of Melody Surround his Chariot as it did ascend; Mixing their Music, making ev’ry string More to enravish as they this tune sing.

Edward Taylor (c1642-1729)from Sacramental Meditations

God is gone up is the second of Finzi's three opus 27 anthems. It was written in 1951 for a St Cecilia's Day Service at St Sepulchre's Church in Holborn. This well-written anthem of praise, which, like Bairstow's works, stretches the organ's resources, carefully sets the inspirational words taken from the Preparatory or Sacramental Meditations by the Puritan poet Edward Taylor (c1642-1729).